Railroad tie



B. HASKELL RAILROAD TIE Aug. 20, 1929.

v Filed March 25, 1928 WITNESSES Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

v UNITED STATES BRODERIGK HASKELL, 0F FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD TIE.

Application filed March 23, 1928. Serial No. 264,232.

The invention relates to railroad ties and especially to composite ties constructed from concrete and wood members.

An object of the invention is to provide a composite concrete and wood railway tie which embodies a minimum of wood, possesses the advantages of ordinary wooden ties is easily constructed, weight, and which strength and durability.

Another object is to provide a tie comprising wooden rail-receiving blocks firmly clamped between a pair of concrete tie members, and means cooperating between the clamping means and concrete members for firmly maintaining the blocks and to resiliently compensate for expansion or contraction of the wooden blocks.

Still another object is to provide a tie of the type referred to which is adapted to cooperate with the adjacent ties to maintain the rails in line.

The tie provided according to the invention comprises rail-supporting blocks of wood seated between a pair of concrete members which can be drawn together by clamping means to firmly maintain the blocks, and means are provided which cooperate with the clamps and concrete members to prevent undue stresses therein when the blocks expand and to maintain the blocks firmly engaged when they shrink. Preferably the concrete members are reinforced angles, the block-engaging faces of which are shaped to restrain upward movement thereof, and disposed to form a channel therebetween. Bolt-s extending through the concrete members permit clamping, and springs positioned between the bolt heads and the concrete members are used in the preferred embodiment to resiliently compensate for swelling or shrinkage of the blocks. The outer faces of the tie members are also preferably provided with a groove for engagement of a thrust relatively light iii possesses adequate block.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodimentof the invention showing two ties ready to receive rails; Fig. 2 a side elevation of one of the ties shown in Fig. 1, showing rails in place; Fig. 3 a cross sect-ion of the ties taken on line TIP-III, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a side elevation of a. thrust plate; and Fig. 5 a plan view of a modified tie construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the structural Likewise, drying out part of the tie comprises concrete members 1, which in their preferred form comprise angle-shaped sections having a base portion and a vertically disposed body portion, preferably reinforced by rods 2. Members 1 are of standard tie length, and in constructing a tie two of them are disposed to be parallel with the bases extending toward each other to form a channel, the members being spaced apart a suitable distance to receive wooden blocks 3 spaced properly to receive rails 4 which are secured to the blocks by spikes 5 in the usual manner. Members 1 of each tie are clamped together to securely hold the blocks, and preferably bolts 6, extending through the body portion of members 1 on each side of blocks 3 are used for this purpose. As shown in the drawings the corners of members 1 may be beveled, to reduce chipping at these points.

In a tie assembled from wooden blocks held between structural members clamped or bolted together the blocks may swell, or expand, due to absorption of moisture, and if the bolts are tight enough to hold the blocks securely, the resultant thrust may shear the thread of the bolts, or cause other damage. of the blocks will cause them to shrink, permitting them to become loose. An important feature of the invention consists in the use of means which per mits the blocks to be properly secured initially, and which resiliently compensates for subsequent transverse swelling or shrinkage. This means comprises springs disposed between the heads of the bolts and the concrete members, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, heavy duty spring washers 7 are used. The washers are interposed between the heads (or nuts) of the bolts and the outer body wall of the concrete members, and the nuts are then drawn up to clamp the blocks properly and to place the washers under initial stress.

The blocks are preferably made of such height that they extend somewhat above the concrete members, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that impact of the train wheels upon the rails is not transmitted directly to the concrete members. Upward movement of the blocks may be, and preferably is, preventedby tapering the sides engaged by members 1, and molding the block-engaging surfaces 8 of the latter to slope inwardly and downwardly to correspond to the block taper, so that upward movement is resisted by wedge flanges or action. Lateral movement of the blocks is prevented by the bolts 6 on each side thereof, and to further assist in preventing this 210- tion, brackets 9, suitably spaced, may be molded in the concrete members.

A further feature of the invention comprises means for maintaining the ties in proper relation after the tracks are laid. To this end the outer surfaces of the body portion of members 1 are provided with spaced brackets 10 molded in the members to provide a groove substantially at the middle of the member. lVhen the ties are laid and properly spaced, a thrust plate 11, which may be made of concrete as shown in Fig. i, is inserted in the grooves in adjacent ties, the plate having base flanges 12 which are covered with ballast to hold it in place. The plates take up the thrust between rails'and effectively prevent lateral displacement of the ties (and consequently of the rails) and maintain the tracks in proper alignment.

A modified embodiment of the invention, which possesses the same advantages as the preceding embodiment, is shown in Fig. 5. Concrete angle members 1, spaced as before, have wooden blocks 3 seated therebetween, and clamping bolts 6 extend through the concrete members and the wooden blocks. In this'case, as before, the blocks extend somewhat above the concrete members, but since the bolts act to restrain both lateral and upward movement, it is not necessary to taper the blocks and the block-engaging surfaces. The resilient means used in this em bodiment comprise resilient bars or leaf springs 15 made from plate or strap material, such as strong spring steel and bent into the bowed form shown in the drawing. The springs are placed 1n position between the bolt heads or nuts and the outer wall of members 1, with the middle inwardly bowed portion bearing on the concrete member, after which the tie is clamped by drawing up the nuts and placing the spring under stress.

In a tie constructed in accordance with the invention, the rail-supporting blocks will always be maintained firmly clamped. If the blocks swell due to absorption of moisture, the spring washers or resilientbars take up the resultant thrust, to prevent undue stress on the threads of the bolt, and when they shrink, the initial stress on the springs presses concrete members 1 together an amount equal to the transverse contraction of the block. It will usually be desirable to use dry wood in constructing the tie, so that subsequent changes in the blocks are first expansion and then contraction.

Ties according to the invention possess adequate strength to resist all stresses placed upon them, and the desirable resilient rail support is secured by the use of wooden rail-receiving blocks properly positioned by relatively light bodies of concrete. his construction results in conservation of the prime quality of wood necessary for ties, as the blocks may be made from sound portions of old ties, as well as from new material. Also, since short lengths of wood are used, much stock good enough for this purpose is available which could not be used for full length ties. Upward and lateral movements are prevented, and the new tie also effectively overcomes the inherent disadvantages of prior composite structures of this nature by the provision for compensating for volume changes in the blocks.

In the claims the expression heads of said bolts is used for simplicity and means both the head end proper and also the nut end, which, for the purposes of the invention functions like the head end with regard to the spring action.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I new consider 'to' represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention 1. A railway tie comprising a pair of spaced concrete members each having a base portion and a vertically disposed body portion, rail-supporting blocks of wood seated between said body portion, and clamping means resiliently acting upon said members to maintain said blocks firmly clamped therebetween when the blocks contract and to prevent undue stress on said members and means when the blocks expand.

2. A railway tie comprising a pair of spaced concrete members each having a base portion and a vertically disposed body portion, rail-supporting blocks of wood seated between said .body portions to rest on said base portions, bolts extending through the body portions of said members for clamping the blocks therebetween, and means acting resiliently upon the heads of said bolts to maintain said blocks firmly clamped irrespective of volume changes in said blocks and to prevent undue stress upon said members when the blocks expand.

3. A railway tie comprising a spaced pair of reinforced concrete angle members disposed upright and facing each other, rail supporting blocks of wood seated between said members, bolt-s extending through said members for clamping the blocks therebetween, and spring washers seated between the heads of said bolts and said members to compensate for transverse expansion and contraction of the blocks.

4. A railway tie comprising reinforced lit) concrete angle members disposed in a parallel pair with the bases horizontal and projecting toward each other, the inner walls of said members being sloped outwardly and downwardly to provide block-receiving recesses; rail-supporting blocks of wood having tapered sides seated between said members in said recesses, bolts extending through said members for clamping the blocks therebetween, and springs disposed between the heads of said bolts and said members to compensate for transverse expansion and contraction of the blocks.

5. A railway tie comprising L-shaped reinforced concrete members disposed in a parallel pair with the bases horizontal and projecting toward each other, the inner walls of said members being sloped outwardly and downwardly to provide block-receiving recesses, rail-supporting blocks of wood having tapered sides seated between said members in said recesses, bolts extending through said members at each end of said blocks for clamping the blocks therebetween, and spring members disposed between the heads of said bolts and members to compensate for transverse expansion and contraction of the blocks.

6. A railway tie comprising a pair of spaced reinforced concrete angle members, rail-supporting blocks of wood seated between said members, and means for resiliently clamping said members to maintain said blocks firmly clamped irrespective of expansion or contraction thereof, said members being shaped to prevent upward movement of said blocks, each concrete member being provided intermediate its length with spaced braces for reception of a tie thrust plate.

7. A railway tie comprising a pair of reinforced concrete members each having a base portion and a body portion rising there from, one body wall of each being sloped outwardly and downwardly and the other being provided with spaced laterally projecting braces for receiving thrust plates, said members being disposed in parallel with their sloping walls facing each other, rail-supporting blocks of wood seated be tween said members, clamping bolts extending through said members, and means acting resiliently upon said bolts to compensate for expansion and contraction of the blocks.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

BRODERICK HASKELL. 

